Word Root Of The Day Archive

#155 Feb 01, 18

lig

tie, bind

The Latin root lig and its variants li and ly mean “tie.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including ligament, reliable and rely. The root lig is easily recalled via the word obligation, for an obligation “ties” you to the doing of something.

#154 Jan 15, 18

se-

apart

Prefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. A large number of English vocabulary words contain the prefix se-, which means “apart.” Examples using this prefix include separate, secret and select. An easy way to remember that the prefix se- means “apart” is through the word secure, for when you feel secure you are “apart” from worrying or undue care about something potentially troubling.

#153 Nov 15, 17

loqu

talk, speak

The Latin root loqu and its variant locut mean “speak.” These roots are the word origins of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including eloquent, loquacious, elocution, and circumlocution. The roots loqu and locut are easily recalled through the words soliloquy, or a “talking” by oneself, and interlocutor, or a person with whom you are “talking” or conversing.

#152 Nov 01, 17

fort

strong

The Latin root fort means “strong.” This Latin root is the word origin of a large number of English vocabulary words, including effort, comfort, and forte. The root fort is easily recalled via the word fort, for a “fort” is a “strong” building constructed so as to withstand enemy attack.

#151 Oct 16, 17

sect

cut

The Latin root sect means “cut.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including insect, dissect, and intersect. The root sect is easily recalled via the word section, for a section is a “cut”-off piece of a larger whole.

#150 Sep 30, 17

cult

grow

The Latin root cult means “grow.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including culture, cultivate and horticulture. The root cult is easily recalled via the word agriculture, for agriculture is the “growing” of plants via farming.

#149 Sep 01, 17

patr

father

The Latin root patr means “father.” This Latin root is the word origin of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including paternity, pattern, and patron. The root patr is easily recalled via the word patriotic, as someone who is acting in a patriotic fashion is supporting the "father"land.

#148 Jun 01, 17

anim

mind, spirit

The Latin root anim means “mind” or “spirit.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including unanimous, animated, and animosity. The root anim is easily recalled via the word animal, for an animal is a living, moving creature and so contains a “spirit” and “mind.”

#147 May 15, 17

matr

mother

The Latin root matr means “mother.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including matriarch, material, and matter. The root matr is easily recalled via the word maternal, for a woman who acts in a maternal fashion is being “motherly.”

#146 May 01, 17

dur

hard, harsh

The Latin root dur means “hard.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including endure, during, and duration. The root dur is easily recalled via the word endure, for if you can endure a trial, you are “hard” enough to withstand its challenges.

#145 Apr 14, 17

stat

stands

The Latin root stat and its variant stit mean “stand.” This Latin root is the word origin of a large number of English vocabulary words, including state, statue, constitution and superstition. The root stat is easily recalled via the word stationary or “standing” still, whereas stit can be recalled via institute, to make something like an organization “stand” by creating it.

#144 Mar 31, 17

it

go

The Latin root it means “go.” This Latin root is the word origin of and so “goes” through a number of English vocabulary words, including transit, ambition, and initials. The root it is easily recalled via the word exit, which is the part of the building where you “go” out.

#143 Mar 16, 17

rupt

burst

The Latin root rupt means “burst.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including disrupt, rupture, and interrupt. The root rupt is easily recalled via the word bankrupt, for if you’ve gone bankrupt your bank account has “burst,” spilling out all its contents and leaving you with no money!

#142 Feb 28, 17

temp

time

The Latin root temp means “time.” This Latin root is the word origin of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including contemporary, temporary, and the Latin phrase tempus fugit. The root temp is easily recalled via the word tempo, as the tempo of a piece of music is the “timing” of it, that is, whether it goes at a fast or slow pace when played.

#141 Feb 16, 17

arch

rule

The Greek root arch means “rule.” This Greek root is the word origin of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including matriarch, patriarch, and oligarchy. The root arch is easily recalled via the word anarchy, which is a period of time in which there is no “rule” at all in a country.

#140 Feb 01, 17

ag

do, act, drive

The Latin root ag and its variant ig mean “do.” These roots are the word origins of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including agent, agile, litigate, and castigate. The roots ag and ig are easily recalled through the words agenda, or things to be “done,” and navigate, the “doing” or “driving” of a ship.

#139 Jan 15, 17

act

drive, do

The Latin root act means “do.” This Latin root is the word origin of a large number of English vocabulary words, including actor, action, and active. The root act is easily recalled via the word act, for an act is something having been “done.”

#138 Jan 01, 17

fus

pour

The Latin root fus means “pour.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including fusion, fuse, and confuse. The root fus is easily recalled via the word refuse, for to refuse to do something asked of you is to “pour” the request right back to the person doing the requesting!

#137 Dec 01, 16

err

wander

The Latin root word err means “wander” or “make a mistake,” which is a “wandering” from the correct answer. This Latin root is the word origin of a number of English vocabulary words, including errant and erratic. The root err is easily recalled via the word error, which is a “wandering” from the right answer.

#136 Nov 15, 16

curr

run

The Latin root word curr means “run.” This Latin root is the word origin of a number of English vocabulary words through which it “runs,” including currency, cursor, and curriculum. The root curr is easily recalled via an ocean current, which “runs” by itself since it is surrounded by waters that are relatively still.

#135 Nov 01, 16

labor

work

The Latin root word labor means “work.” This Latin root is the word origin of a “working” number of English vocabulary words, including collaborate, labor itself, and elaborate. The root labor is easily recalled via the word laboratory, for that is where scientists do their “work.”

#134 Oct 15, 16

ob-

thoroughly

The prefix ob-, besides meaning “against” or “towards,” can also act as an intensive prefix. An intensive prefix can effectively be translated as “thoroughly” to highlight its emphatic function. The intensive nature of the prefix ob- shows up in such words as obtuse and obdurate. An example to help remember this intensive prefix is the word obtain, for when you obtain something you “thoroughly” hold onto it.

#133 Oct 01, 16

rog

ask, request

The Latin root word rog means “ask.” This Latin root is the word origin of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including interrogate, arrogant, and prerogative. The root rog is easily recalled via the word interrogative, for an interrogative is a question word that “asks” a question, such as “who,” “what,” “how,” “why,” or “where.”

#132 Sep 15, 16

ob-

against

Prefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. The English prefix ob- usually means “against, in the way” or “towards.” An example of ob- when it means “towards” is the word obligation, or a tying of some duty “towards” you; in the case of ob- meaning “against” or “in the way,” the word obstacle" refers to that which stands “against” you, “in the way” of proceeding from point A to point B.

#131 Sep 01, 16

epi-

upon, over

Prefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. The English prefix epi-, which means “over” or “upon,” appears in a good number of English vocabulary words, such as epidermis and epitaph. You can remember that the prefix epi- means “upon” from the noun epidemic, which is a widespread disease that comes “upon” people; you can also recall that epi- means “over” via the word epidermis, which is the outer skin that lies “over” lower layers of skin.

#130 May 16, 16

spir

breathe

The Latin root word spir means “breathe.” This root is the word origin of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including inspire, respiration, and expire. The root spir is easily recalled via the word perspiration, that is, sweat in the act of “breathing” through the pores of your skin.

#129 May 02, 16

volv

roll

The Latin root word volv and its variants volut and volt mean “roll” or “turn round.” These roots are the word origins of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including revolve, involve, evolution, and revolt. The roots volv and volut are easily recalled through the words involve, or “roll” in, and revolution, or a “rolling” back against a current government or other system in power.

#128 Apr 15, 16

posit

placed, put

The Latin root word posit means “placed.” This Latin root is the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including opposite, composition, and posit itself. The Latin root word posit is easily recalled through the word position, for a “position” is the way in which you find yourself “placed.”

#127 Apr 01, 16

voc

call

The Latin root word voc and its variant vok both mean “call.” These roots are the word origins of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including vocal, vocabulary, invoke, and provoke. The roots voc and vok are easily recalled through the words vocal, of “calling,” and revoke, to “call” back.

#126 Mar 15, 16

dia-

through

Prefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. A fair number of English vocabulary words contain the prefix dia-, which means “across.” Examples using this prefix include dialogue, diagonal, and diabetes. An easy way to remember that the prefix dia- means “across” is through the word diameter, for the diameter of a circle is the measurement “across” it.